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TRUE LIFE STORIES
THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON **** Sean Penn is absolutely brilliant in this human drama. Set in 1974, it tells of an average saleman who is suffering a breakdown. Unable to lie to customers at work, he's a failure as a salesman as well as a failure as a husband. He figures the only way to give his life significance is to target the greatest liar of the age--President Richard Nixon. It also features some great performances by Naomi Watts as his wife, Jack Thompson as his boss, and Don Cheadle as his buddy. It was directed and written by Niels Muller.
THE AVIATOR *** Scorcese's plunges his audiences emotionally into the intimate world of one the loneliest men in the world, allowing us to experience the nightmare that destroyed his dreams. The drama, intrigue and romance are brilliantly contrasted with excellent production design that makes for a moving and heartfelt cinematic experience. DiCapprio is in top form as a young man driven by passion and torn apart by circumstances that he could not control, with Cate Blanchett delivering a powerhouse performance as the larger-than-life Katherine Hepburn. Go behind the scenes ; Read all about Howard Hughes: his life and times
BREAKFAST ON PLUTO ***** Neil Jordan's superb adaptation of Pat McCabe's novel, featuring an outstanding performance by Cillian Murphy as the cross dressing rebel. Set the mid-1970s amongst the eruption of British-Irish conflicts, a fashionable young beauty ( Murphy) ambles down the street pushing a pram. Construction workers whistle and catcall on the scaffolding above, but she's quick with a salty retort; her story, the story of Patrick "Kitten" Braden, is too strong stuff for the likes of them…Acclaimed filmmaker Neil Jordan has written and directed some of the most provocative and socially topical films in modern cinema. His projects reflect his passion for politically and sexually charged material that also suggests a particular ethical or spiritual dimension. A true auteur in every sense of the word, Jordan possesses an extraordinary insight that challenges the human psyche and evokes our deepest emotions. Jordan 's Breakfast on Pluto marks his second collaboration with writer Pat McCabe. Based on McCabe 's novel of the same name. The features include informative audio commentary by Jordan and Murphy and a behind the scenes featurette. Neil Jordan talks about Breakfast on Pluto
CAPOTE ***** If you are looking for food for thought and want to indulge in the richness of a well-crafted film then Capote will provide perfect entertainment; it is really fantastic to experience director Bennett Miller masterfully bringing Dan Futterman's excellent script to life without ever exploiting the subject matter; it is like soaking in a warm tub and experiencing the greatness of a great story told extremely well. Go behind the scenes of Capote, read comments by Gerard Clarke, a conversation with screenwriter Dan Futterman and director Bennett Miller, and everything you wanted to know about Truman Capote.
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN - (Double disc edition) **** Spielberg's exciting story of the extraordinary true story of a brilliant young man of deception, has some interesting features on the bonus disc: behind the camera scenes, casting, a featurettes on 'Between Reality and Fiction' and 'The FBI perspective'. Go behind the scenes
CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR **** Charlie Wilson's War is the outrageous true story of how one congressman who loved a good time, one Houston socialite who loved a good cause and one CIA agent who loved a good fight conspired to bring about the largest covert operation in history. Based on George Crile's book about the CIA's largest and most successful covert CIA operation, the arming of the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan. Directed by Mike Nichols and written by Aaron Sorkin, starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Om Puri, Jud Tylor, Go behind the scenes
DOMINO **** Tony Scott's Domino will blow your mind; this is filmmaking you experience, with every shot bursting out of frame and sound and image brilliantly blended to plunge you ruthlesslessly into the mindscape of a world where violence and danger prevail; it is also a superb social drama that offers exceptional insight into the human condition, and a touching love story that all adds of to one of the most exciting films of the year. Make sure not to miss it. It is a hardcore exploration of a girl in search of identity and gets swallowed by the dark side of humanity. Scripted by Richard Kelly (who wrote and directed 'Donny Darko') , it is based on the true story of Domino Harvey Harvey (Keira Knightley), daughter of film actor Laurence Harvey. Tired and unsuited to the pretentiousness of her high-society LA life, Domino leaves the glittarti behind and sets off to become a bounty hunter. The Bonus features include audio commentaries, deleted/ alternate scenes, a documentary on Bounty Hunter Domino Harvey's life, Bounty Hunting on Acid: Tony Scott's visual style and trailers. Go behind the scenes
ELVIS - THE EARLY YEARS *** Hot on the heels of Walk The Line, exploring the life of Johnny Cash, comes this biopic on Elvis Presley. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who delivered an impressive performance as a Glam rocker in Velvet Goldmine, now steps into the shoes of the King. With the co-operation of Lisa Marie Presley and the Elvis Presley estate, it tells the story from his humble beginnings to his meteoric rise to fame, his reign as "the king of rock and roll", and his devastating demise into drugs and the excess of fame. The drama is underscored by Elvis' actual recordings of some of his biggest hits, including 'Don't be Cruel', 'Love Me Tender', Are You Lonesome Tonight?', and 'Return to Sender'. The teleplay was written by Patrick Sheane Duncan, with direction by James Sadwith
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK **** A rewarding experience for serious-minded filmgoers who who would like to indulge in a slow paced political drama. Directed by and starring George Clooney, it takes place during the early days of broadcast journalism in 1950's America. It chronicles the real-life conflict between television newsman Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. Go behind the scenes
GRACIE ***** If you are a fan of BBC drama, this superb romantic drama is an absolute must.Filmed as part of the BBC's Women We Loved season, featuring a trio of excellent performances from Jane Horrocks, Tom Hollander, and David Dawson, this excellent television film - which would have been better titled Gracie and Monty, gently portraying the oft troubled marriage and courtship of singing superstar, Gracie Fields, and Italian filmmaker, Monty Banks - proves to be a thoroughly entertaining, quietly eye-opening, and really rather moving work In 1939 Gracie Fields, the 'Queen of Hearts', is at the height of her success as a singer and actress and the whole nation seems to wish her a speedy recovery from cervical cancer. When World War Two breaks out, Gracie sings for the troops despite poor health, to the dismay of her fussy husband, film director Monty Banks, an Italian, born Mario Bianchi. With Italy's entry into the war Monty is in danger of being interned so Gracie consents to his moving to America whilst she tours Canada, fund-raising for the war effort. She is accused of deserting the country which made her famous and booed offstage, though she later tours battlefields as a singer. With the war over she regains popularity, performing 'Take Me To Your Heart Again' at the London Palladium
INTO THE WILD ***** An exceptional journey. Writer-director Sean Penn knows how to tell a story visually, masterfully drawing us into the intimate and introspective mindscape of a young man in search of meaning and spiritual fulfillment. Emile Hirsch delivers an astounding performance as Chris McCandless. In the course of his 2-year quest to better understand himself and his place in the world, Chris McCandless blazed through an entire lifetime of experiences. From the birth of a brand new, self-invented identity as he set out on the road; to his declaration of independence from the bewildered family he left behind; to an exhilarating process of gaining knowledge and wisdom from the amazing people and places that touched his soul; to the calamity that led to his own unplanned demise at the apex of his perspective-altering journey, these fragments form the emotional mosaic at the core of Sean Penn's adaptation of Jon Krakauer's bestseller Into The Wild. Unfortunately there are no features. Read more
KINSEY ***** An absolute brilliant exploration of human sexuality. If there's one film that you have to see, it's this superb masterpiece that is a true reflection of the fears that have imprisoned us, and will definitely set your inhibitions free. Academy Award-winner Bill Condon ("Gods and Monsters," "Chicago") explores the life of the pioneer of human sexuality research, Alfred Kinsey (Neeson). "I've found that the film acts as a sort of litmus test for one's own ideas about sexuality," says Condon. "Kinsey was a very complex man, in some way damaged beyond repair. I thought it was important to present it all, and let people form their own opinions." Features: Unfortunately none. Go behind the scenes
MISS POTTER **** This charming film explores the love, loss and struggle for independence of Beatrix Potter, the young spinster who overcame a domineering mother and chauvinism of Victorian England to become a best-selling author, with Renee Zelwegger in the title role and Ewan McGreggor as the impassioned young publishet who steals her heart. The bonus features include audio commentary by director Chris Noonah, as well as features on how the film was made . Go behind the scenes
THE QUEEN ***** Stephen Frears brilliantly explores the loneliness that lurks behind fame. When news of the death of Princess Diana, undoubtedly the most famous woman in the world, breaks upon a shocked and disbelieving British public, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II retreats behind the walls of Balmoral Castle with her family, unable to comprehend the public response to the tragedy. For Tony Blair, the popular and newly elected Prime Minister, the people's need for reassurance and support from their leaders is palpable. As the unprecedented outpouring of emotion grows ever stronger, Blair must find a way to reconnect the Queen with the British public. Go behind the scenes
RAY (Double Disc) ***Taylor Hackford's extraordinary and inspirational film portrays the extraordinary, but turbulent life of Ray Charles, a determined musical genius who fought harder and went farther than anyone thought was possible, and consequently became an American icon. Features: Deleted scenes, extended musical scenes; a documentary 'Ray remembered - A look inside Ray. Go behind the scenes
THE SEA INSIDE ***** This outstanding winner of Best Foreign Film is an absolute must. Javier Bardem is astonishing as Spanish poet Ramon Sampedro, who fought a 30 year campaign to win the right to end his life with dignity. Features: Commentary by director Alejandro Amnebar (who also made 'The Others'); a superb 90 minutes behind the scenes documentary; deleted scenes; storyboard and set designs. Behind the scenes: "The Sea Inside can also be seen as a love story, or even as a series of love stories. "It shows the different ways in which love can be conceived," says Amenábar. Read more
UNITED 93 ***** . A gripping, provocative drama that tells the story of the passengers, crew and the flight controllers who watched in dawning horror as United Airlines Flight 93 became the fourth hijacked plane on the day of the worst terrorist attacks on American soil: September 11, 2001. The filmmaker explores the events of this day by telling the story of a single flight and the ordinary, random sampling of flight crew, businessmen, wives, grandparents, students and others bound for San Francisco aboard a Boeing 757. Read an interview with Khalid Abdalla Go behind the scenes
WAH-WAH **** If you had to bottle all your precious childhood memories and place it on a shelf for the world to see, this would be it. It is a genuine, sincere and heartfelt. It lifts an early chapter from Richard E. Grant's own life growing up in Swaziland in the last days of the British Empire. Ralph Compton (a surrogate for Grant played by both Zachary Fox and Nicholas Hoult) lives among military men and restless colonials who have little for amusement but gin and adultery. Ralph's father (Gabriel Byrne) is a cuckold bent on drinking himself clear of his misery. His wife (Miranda Richardson) flaunts her bad behavior and runs off with the square-jawed neighbour. . Read more Go behind the scenes and read more about the cast and crew Read an interview with Richard E. Grant
WALK THE LINE (2 Disc Special Edition) *** An entertaining and touching romantic drama. Cash was a voice of rebellion that changed the face of rock and roll. An outlaw before today's rebels were born. An icon no one would ever forget. He did all this before turning 30. The film explores the early years of the music legend, an artist who transcended musical boundaries to touch people around the globe. Features: Audio Commentary by co-writer and director James Mangold; 10 deleted scenes with optional commentary by Mangold; Johnny Cash Jukbox; 'Becoming Cash and Carter' featurettes; Celebrating the Man In Black documentary Read the full story; Read the Twentieth Century Fox Roundtable Interview with Joaquin Phoenix
WESTERN
3:10 TO YUMA ***** Following up his critically acclaimed hit Walk The Line, James Mangold breathes fresh life into the quintessential American genre, the western. An update of the 1957 western based on a story by Elmore Leonard, 3:10 TO YUMA pairs two of today's finest actors, Academy Award winner Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, as an infamous outlaw and the struggling rancher who volunteers to deliver him to justice. A stark parable of good and evil, the film offers a bracingly gritty depiction of life in the mythic Old West, plunging us into a landscape of hastily constructed towns and mean self-interest at the dawning of the transcontinental railroad. 3:10 TO YUMA begins at a gallop and barely lets up, as Mangold combines intense physical action with sharply honed character drama to deliver a supremely satisfying, thoroughly modern entertainment. The Bonus Features include an exceptional audio commentary by director James Mangold. Read more
6. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD ***** In 1881 a younger member of the notorious James gang becomes so inextricably drawn to and frightened of his mentor that his own delusions of grandeur force him to consider doing the unthinkable. Based on the best selling novel published by Knopf; October 12, 1983. With Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Sam Rockwell. Read more
THERE WILL BE BLOOD ***** A powerful sprawling epic of family, faith, power and oil, set on the incendiary frontier of California's turn-of-the-century petroleum boom, with Daniel Day-Lewis in his stunning Oscar-winning performance as Daniel Plainview, a man who transforms himself from a down-and-out silver miner raising a son on his own into a self-made oil tycoon. Go behind the scenes
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